1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical device for supporting musculotendinous units of an individual's extremities, and more particularly to a compression device for tennis elbow which not only enable the individual to continue to exercise without pain or further aggravation to an existing injury in his elbow, but which also prevents the occurrence of tennis elbow through a set of exercise procedures using the compression device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The term tennis elbow may include many difficulties which may occur in and about the elbow; there are at least eleven specific elbow complaints which have been called tennis elbow. The primary symptom is a chronic inflammation of the attachment of the common extensor muscle group, which are the extensor carpi radialis brevis and extensor communis, to the lateral epicondyle as well as the attachment of the condylar origin of the radial collateral ligament. There are other muscle groups which originate from the elbow, specifically the olecraneum, including the acroneus which arises from the humerus, but which inserts into the extensor muscle group attachment area in the elbow. These muscle groups are also weak in their anatomical design.
It is believe that this chronic inflammation occurs because the mechanical construction of the elbow itself predisposes the individual to injury during movements of a tennis match. A prominent radial head creates a fulcrum with two leverage forces, one a long lever from the radial head just below the point of the elbow to the wrist where the muscles attach, and the other a short lever from the radial head to the point of the elbow, the lateral epicondyle. The long leverage force creates pressure against the attachment of the common extensor muscle mass, sujecting it to repetitive and chronic strain with the subsequent formation of non-elastic scar tissue. The scar tissue often tears again and tends to become reinflammed. The situation is compounded by the lack of lack of appropriate extensor muscle power to withstand the forces against it which is so characteristic of the occasional athlete who rarely trains for sports activity.
For the most part, the problem occurs because of an inherent weakness in the anatomical design or mechanical relationship of the muscles of the arm which subjects the elbow to increased stress within the area placing an inordinate strain on the tissues.
Treatment for tennis elbow has been primarily medical in nature ranging from localized injections of cortisone or surgery to simple rest.
It has been found that the pain of tennis elbow can be relieved and the injury itself prevented by placing pressure about the smaller muscles of the forearm. The pressure on the muscles serves to relieve the internal tension on the muscles by providing a force against which the muscles can push.
A bandage-like device called the Froimson Tennis Elbow support has been developed which can be wrapped about the forearm. Unfortunately, this device is difficult for the tennis player to put on unassisted and obtain the desired degree of tightness and pressure. In addition, the device, although coated on the side adjacent the skin with a foamed plastic, tends to slip off the arm during normal tennis pay, especially when the arm begins to sweat. Moreover, the device does not place a uniform pressure about the muscles unless wrapped carefully.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,426, entitled Muscular Support, issued to Robert P. Nirschl on April 15, 1975, teaches a support for bracing the musculotendinous units in the upper and lower extremities of humans. It is a flexible, arcuately shaped pad, especially adapted to be tightly wrapped about a muscle without slippage. The pad is constructed from a two layer laminate of cloth and foam rubber. The pad is easily tightened by a velcro fastener strip which is inserted through a fastening ring and reversedly drawn for attachment to itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,244, entitled Means for Supporting a Limb in Relaxed Position, issued to Steve Lebold on June 10, 1975, teaches a restraining member that is adapted to be positioned inside the elbow or knee joint and that has straps adapted to pass around the limb members above and below the joint to hold a pad in position while restraining the limb members in an angular position of rest. The pad is filled with soft resilient material such as sponge rubber, sponge polyvinyl polymer, cotton padding, felt or the like. Where necessary, the bottom surface of the pad may be reinforced with a semirigid member such as a flexible sheet of metal or plastic. When wearing the restraining member on his his elbow, an individual is not only unable to play tennis, but is also unable to exercise his extensor muscles in order to strengthen them. The individual is only able to rest his elbow.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,878, entitled Device for Supporting a Limb and Associated Extremity, issued to Donald C. Spann on Sept. 9, 1975, teaches a device for supporting a limb and associated extremity that is formed from a block of polyurethane foam, which is both air-permeable and resilient, and that has a polygonal cross-section and an groove extending along its entire length thereby providing a cradle for the limb. The block is secured about the limb by velcro fastening strips. This device is not for resting the elbow joint, but is described because it is formed out of polyurethane foam and has velcro fastening strips.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,239, entitled Quinohydrothermic Body Covering Element, issued to Jose Ma Masso Remiro on July 1, 1975, teaches a body covering element that includes a thin layer of rubber, which is essentially laminar in construction and which has a thickness progressively decreasing in one direction of the covering. The layer of rubber is non-porous, highly elastic and intimately associated with another layer of knitted fabric which covers one of its surfaces and which has a crenelated cross-section. The thin layer of rubber may be optionally covered on its other surface with a second layer of knitted fabric. One of the specific shapes that the body covering element may take is that of a tube which is narrower at one end than at the other, progressively changing in cross-section and dimension so that it becomes adapted to the part of the body to be covered. It can be used in athletic events to prevent twistings, sprains, torn ligaments and the like since the body covering element increases the resistance of the skeleton supporting, i.e. muscles and ligaments. Furthermore it potentializes the muscular contractibility and the elasticity of the ligaments thereby enhancing a better recovery after strechings.